I am happy to say that I have stuck with my New Year's Resolution to get my family in shape. I would love to say that all six of my children have shared my enthusiasm, but that would be telling a fib. The other day we attempted a bike ride around the neighborhood. It took two hours just to get all of the bikes out of the garage and air in all of the tires. That took longer than the ride around the neighborhood which lasted less than 15 minutes! The older kids rode so fast that by the time the little ones and myself made it up the first small hill, they were already home. It was then that I realized that if we are going to bond while we are getting in shape, than I am going to have to find some things to do that are new for all of us.
Every day on my way to work I pass this little parking lot that faces the entrance into the woods. There are always cars there and people coming out from the path leading into the woods, so on a beautiful Sunday afternoon I loaded the kids up to check it out.
It is called the Canopy Road Greenway and is off of Fleischcmann Road. The Greenway offers six miles of Canopy Trails and has additional entrances off Edenfield Rd and Crump Rd. The trails are perfect for hikers, mountain bikers, joggers and for the equestrian. We started down the trail having no idea what we would see or find along the way.
I was caught off guard by how beautiful it was back on the trail. The canopy trees are breathtaking. The girls said they felt like they were in a magical forest. Even I found it hard to believe that we were just down the street from the grocery store, their schools and all the other places we go to on a daily basis. My imaginative boys found sticks and twigs, which were perfect to fight off any pirates or dragons that might be hiding in this "magical forest".
We came to a fork in the road and I asked the kids which way should we go? Enjoying the time away from the daily routines of life, I seized the moment to give a "mommy lecture". I started with the "sometimes in life you come to a fork in the road speech" when suddenly my daughter looked at me and said, "Mom, really? A life lecture now?" I gave up on my life lecture about forks in the road and just went with what the majority wanted. Throughout the six mile trail there are a few places that it forks off and I am sure that they all loop back around to each other. We didn't go all six miles, but you can find at map at www.leoncountyfl.gov/parks/greenways.asp.
Along the way we passed people on mountain bikes, joggers and people walking their dogs. We were in the middle of an intense game of "I Spy" when my 8 year old said, "I spy a horse!" It was so exciting to see the horses on the trail. The children got to pet the horses and the riders explained to them about how horses sweat and answered all of their burning questions. Seeing the horses made the day extra special.
If you are looking for a change to your daily walking or jogging routine or you are looking for a beautiful place to hike, be sure and visit the Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway. I am excited to go back sometime by myself because I think it is a great place to walk and have some me time! But I am also looking forward to going back with my kids so we can get to the fork in the road and go the other way!
Tags: Equestrian, Florida, Greenway, Hike, Horse, Horseback, Jogger, Jogging, Miccosukee, Outdoor, Tallahassee, Trail
Blythe NewsomeBlythe Newsome is a single mother of six children ages 6,8,10,12,14 and 16. While a morning radio show host, her family was featured on an episode of the Supernanny in 2007. The reality of this single mom who spends her days getting GI Joes out of the toilet, explaining to her girls that you can not cut your hair like you do your Barbie’s, convincing herself that ketchup on a hotdog counts as a vegetable and letting America see what hides underneath her couch cushions made her family one of “America’s Most Asked About Families” from the show according to producers. ABC came back to film the 100th episode which aired in March 2010. When not playing the role of nurse, teacher, chef, referee, taxi driver, coach, or housekeeper, she writes a syndicated column called Flirting with Forty.
“As a Tallahassee native, I am passionate about this city, raising my children here and I am always searching for new adventures for us. When people think about a vacation, this is the place to come. The city is rich in history, annual events and provides people of all ages with something to do”. Each week Blythe and her children will share with you the stories and pictures of the adventures that are waiting for you in Tallahassee!
